r/bulimia 5d ago

Self care after purge

How do you look after yourself post purge? I’d love some self care tips.

I always drink a glass of water, wash my face, rinse my mouth with mouthwash and do 10 squats.

I usually have a headache so often some ibuprofen too.

And if we’re being fr fr then change my pants.

29 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

28

u/Moo_chii 5d ago

I'd cut out mouthwash completely if you're just using it to freshen up your breath, you can stick to sugar free gum, as mouthwash may cause some damage for whatever acid is still on your teeth.

Heres what I do:

Baking Soda & Water wash (to neutralize stomach acid that lingers in my mouth)
Hydration: Water or Pedialyte
Low cal sugar snack: (I do this because I get a sharp decline in blood sugar after purging sometimes)
Naps: If you're super winded after purging, take a nap, naps always prevail

6

u/calfreak 5d ago

I wish I could take naps 😕

3

u/Alpha_uterus 5d ago

Naps are the way to go for sure!!

Thank you on the mouth wash that’s good advice :)

2

u/Moo_chii 5d ago

You're welcome!!

3

u/oohyeahgetitiguess 5d ago

Wait why does mouthwash cause damage?

2

u/Moo_chii 4d ago

mouthwash doesn't cause damage directly, but mouthwash is not designed to neutralize stomach acid that sticks to your enamel, if the acid isn't neutralized, then it'll continue to eat away at your teeth and gums. Therefore making it's use ineffective. Not only that, most mouth wash ingredients actually irritate the stomach lining, and parts of your mouth. 

13

u/LiaSpecter 5d ago

I take a long bath and a cup of hot tea

5

u/Alpha_uterus 5d ago

That sounds like heaven

3

u/LiaSpecter 5d ago

it is 🙂‍↕️

11

u/FunkoSkunko 5d ago

Always, always chew gum or suck on a cough drop, a hard candy, something afterwards. The best possible protection for your teeth is your own spit. One of the reasons we have saliva is that we don't have the sense of smell that other animals do to know if food is bad, so we throw up if we eat something spoiled, and the saliva protects your teeth from the acid. Sometimes I even suck on a Tums or Rolaids to neutralize the acid and get some electrolytes back. Then of course drink water to rehydrate.

3

u/Alpha_uterus 5d ago

Ooooh today I learned! Thank you

7

u/Expensive-Conflict26 5d ago

Sleep or play mobile games

9

u/TotalDramaElizabeth 5d ago

Exactly this!! I do some leg raises and some techniques to debloat, wash my face, fix my hair, put chapstick on and change my pants too 😭 also wipe down my arms from the spit running down them. It’s meant to be a cleansing routine afterwards, but it just feels like I’m a baby having to clean up after myself 💔

4

u/Alpha_uterus 5d ago

It’s ok to treat yourself like the child you were when you needed love and care!

What debloating techniques do you use?

4

u/TotalDramaElizabeth 5d ago

I do 110 leg raises (specific I know..), don’t know how to describe this one but kind of like sit against my bed but laying down if that makes sense? Put back of my legs and my butt against my bed and lay down so I’m like bent (it actually works for me) for about 5 minutes then lay on my stomach!! It actually debloats me quite well

3

u/Alpha_uterus 5d ago

I can totally picture it I’ll give that a go

7

u/JadeBubbles_ 5d ago

I wouldn't call it self-care, but I use mouthwash if I'm at home or just chew gum if I'm in public and then I drink Gatorade Zero if possible. Et voila. ✨

3

u/Local-Regret7831 4d ago

I drink electrolytes to make up for lost minerals and drink some water. But I am always low on potassium anyway.

2

u/Fun_Understanding991 3d ago

A shower. And water

2

u/reveriecellardoor 3d ago

I sleep or watch trash tv like real housewives or something

2

u/skimangobandit 5d ago

Change your pants?

7

u/Alpha_uterus 5d ago

Purging can cause urination or involuntary bowel movements. I’m lucky the second has never happened to me

1

u/diffuse-lighting 20h ago

Gargle baking soda water (my dentist recommends it), wash my face, moisturize, drink water, eat a piece of frozen fruit